"Oblivion" is another giant leap forward for the Eighth Doctor comics. Energized by the switch to color from black and white, this volume is busting its seams to get underway. Assuming that the readers have been on board for a while, the over-arching story line is a tangible quest rather than a mysterious puzzle. The adventures are a little thin plot-wise, but this leaves room for themes of identity and self-discovery, in addition to some playful commentaries on politics and modern art. These ideas and talking points are given life by the characters' ever-growing repertoires of emotional expression.
The artwork has a whole new bag of tricks, too, keeping pace with (and sometimes surpassing) the writing. The rich, electric colors pop from the pages and direct the eyes immediately to each panel's center of interest. They are skillfully selected to enhance the stories' moods and settings. The pencils and inks adapt wonderfully to the new arrangement, giving the colors and color effects the space to breathe. There is more experimentation with how the characters' clothes, body languages, and movements are drawn, which provides a wealth of engaging visual cues.
To me, the marriage of all these elements in "Oblivion" push the comics solidly into the realm of the show's reboot, and make Eight the first Doctor of the 21st century. It's fascinating to see all the subtle shifts in storytelling, design, and execution coalesce into such a major transformation. Is it perfect? No. Is it clunky and cheesy at times? Of course. But it's a lot of fun, and if you're a hopeless "Doctor Who" fan with a soft spot for Eight (or if you bought one of these volumes on a whim and can't stop) then this book is for you.